• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

President Trump - Health

The phrase "L'Etat, c'est moi" or "I am the state", is famously attributed to King Louis XIV of France. It encapsulates his belief in absolute monarchy and the divine right of kings, meaning he saw himself as the ultimate source of power and the sole governing entity of France. The phrase expresses his absolute authority, where his person and the state were one. It positions the king as the living embodiment of the state. It is reported that the dying Louis actually said 'Je m'en vais, mais l'Etat demeurera toujours' ('I am leaving, but the State will always remain').

In Chinese tradition, the connection between a ruler's health, governance, and the state wasa crucial concept. In Chinese ethics, if a person's virtue is not great enough but insists on accumulating excessive possessions, it harms both health and leadership. According to the health wisdom of ancient China, the ruler, health, and state form a very subtle triangular relationship. A factor that causes a ruler's sickness can also lead to political problems in the state. A ruler's misconduct may certainly create chaos in governance, which in turn can lead to illness. On the other hand, a ruler's illness may reflect deeper political and governance issues.

President Donald Trump's age and overall health have long been subjects of public debate. As of 01 September 2025, While there was no indication of any serious or dangerous health issue, the combination of visible bruises, a temporary absence, and the choice of spokespersons for official statements fueled speculation. President Donald Trump's former ally, the white supremacist Nick Fuentes, reckons the White House is in the throes of a Biden-style health cover-up. The leader of the "America First" movement fanned the flames, saying that while the president is alive, he is not well.

In December 2015, while Trump was still a candidate, his personal physician, Dr. Harold Bornstein, released a glowing letter stating, "If elected, oliTrump … will be the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency." He also included the over-the-top statement that Trump would be able to live to be 200 years old if he ate a healthier diet. This became one of the most widely mocked examples of Trump's tendency to exaggerate his own health and vitality.

Bornstein later admitted that Trump had dictated the letter to him over the phone, and that he (Bornstein) merely transcribed it. This explained the unusual style of the document—grandiose, campaign-slogan-like, and lacking the cautious tone normally expected in medical communication. This statement was widely seen as highly unusual for a medical professional, given its overt hyperbole and direct involvement of the candidate in drafting it.

On January 17, 2018, White House physician Dr. Ronny Jackson conducted President Trump's first official presidential physical. Jackson declared Trump to be in "excellent" health, "fit for duty," and likely to remain so throughout his term—and possibly into a second term. During the press briefing, Jackson attributed Trump's good condition to his "incredibly good genes," despite a less-than-ideal diet and minimal exercise. However, when explicitly asked whether he agreed with the hyperbolic phrase "healthiest individual ever elected," Jackson refused to comment. He said his role was to assess Trump's health as of now, not compare him to all past presidents.

It was uncommon to hear him acknowledge his own mortality. He is old and does not ever want to be reminded of that fact. "You know, there's a certain point at which you don't want to hear ‘Happy Birthday,'" he said when he turned 78. "You just want to pretend the day doesn't exist." He also said then: "My father lived a long time, my mother lived a long time, and they were happy, and they were great. So maybe we're going to live a long time. I hope so."

The White House released a medical report in April 2025 that declared Trump "fully fit" to serve as commander-in-chief. He had lost 20 pounds, weighing 224 pounds. His "bad" LDL cholesterol levels were within an "optimal" range. He takes rosuvastatin and ezetimibe to manage his cholesterol. A July colonoscopy revealed diverticulosis and a benign polyp. His physical also revealed a scar on his right ear from a gunshot wound sustained in a July 2024 assassination attempt, but his hearing was normal. The April report noted that his vaccinations were current and that his neurological and cognitive exams were normal.

Donald Trump stumbled while climbing the stairs to Air Force One on June 8, 2025, at Morristown Municipal Airport in New Jersey. He regained his footing swiftly, and there was no fall — just a brief misstep. Some observers even spotted what looked like a bulge beneath Trump's pant leg and speculated that he might be wearing a concealed leg brace—possibly indicating nerve issues. No official statement was made regarding these theories.

Trump has been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), but the White House physician and Trump himself state that he is in excellent overall health. This diagnosis was made public in July 2025 after photos of bruising and swelling on his hands and ankles circulated online. Vascular tests revealed swelling in his legs, but there were no signs of deep vein thrombosis, heart failure, or systemic illness. Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) is a common condition, especially in older adults, where the veins in the legs cannot efficiently pump blood back to the heart, leading to swelling. The president's physician stated that the condition is "benign and common" and that there was no evidence of dangerous complications like deep vein thrombosis.

Bruising on Trump's hands, which prompted online speculation, was attributed by his doctor to frequent handshaking combined with his use of aspirin for cardiovascular prevention. In June–July 2025, photos circulated showing Trump with dark-colored bruises on the back of his right hand, which led to widespread social media debate about possible serious illness. Some speculated about conditions ranging from IV treatments to blood disorders, while others tied it to rumors of declining health.

At the August 15, 2025 summit in Alaska with Vladimir Putin, another moment went viral—but it wasn't about stairs. Instead, observers noticed Trump walking unsteadily and veering side to side while walking along the red carpet to greet Putin. Footage showed him zigzagging rather than walking straight, prompting widespread speculation about his stability.

In August 2025, the White House released a statement calling Trump "the healthiest president this nation has ever seen," issued by Ronny Jackson, the former White House physician (and current Texas congressman), who had been one of Trump's most vocal defenders. The problem is that Jackson's credibility was controversial: he lost his medical license in 2022 after misconduct findings, and past reports have accused him of exaggerating Trump's health in previous assessments. This raised questions about the objectivity of the messaging. The phrase itself was widely criticized as hyperbolic and more political than medical.

Speculation exploded in late August 2025 after President Trump's unusually quiet weekend and a blank White House schedule. Social media was abuzz with hashtags like #TrumpIsDead and #WhereIsTrump. Trump resurfaced publicly, appearing in photos released on August 30, leaving the White House and golfing in Virginia with his grandchildren. When rumors about Trump's death trended in late August 2025, the White House tried to push back quickly by releasing photos of the president. These images showed Trump in seemingly casual, upbeat settings — one was him posing with NFL coach Jon Gruden, another with staff inside the White House.

But internet sleuths and journalists quickly discovered that the pictures were not recent. Metadata and contextual details (clothing, background objects, timing of other people's appearances) showed they were from earlier in the summer rather than that weekend. Once this was revealed, the release backfired, as critics argued the administration was trying to pass off old photos as new proof of life. This fueled even more speculation under hashtags like #WhereIsTrump and #TrumpIsDead. The rumors only began to settle after new, verifiable video footage of Trump golfing in Virginia with his grandchildren appeared on August 30, confirming he was alive and mobile.

Vice President J.D. Vance's comment noting he was prepared to step in if a "terrible tragedy" occurred added even more fuel to the rumors — almost like a "quiet audition" for the presidency. Vance stated, "If, God forbid, there's a terrible tragedy, I can't think of better on-the-job training than what I've gotten over the last 200 days" That phrasing — "terrible tragedy" — was interpreted by many as an unusually stark acknowledgment of the possibility of Trump's sudden incapacitation. Vice presidents usually avoid even hypothetical talk about succeeding due to a president's death or disability. Coming amid Trump's absence, Vance's remark was seized on by online commentators as proof something was wrong. Headlines paired the "terrible tragedy" phrase with the ongoing speculation about Trump's bruises, circulation issues, and brief disappearance from public view.

After a weekend of health speculation on social media, Trump posted on Truth Social, "NEVER FELT BETTER IN MY LIFE". On the night of Sunday, August 31, 2025, Donald Trump posted "GOOD NIGHT!!!" on his social media platform, Truth Social. The post was notable as it came after a weekend of rumors and speculation on social media about his health, which had begun after a period with no public appearances.